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38
America and the Sea: A Maritime History, by Benj amin W . Labaree, William M. Fowler,Jr.,John B. H attendorf, Jeffrey ]. Safford, Edward W. Sloan and Andrew W. German (Mystic Seaport, Inc., Mystic CT, 694pp, illus, maps, appen, biblio, index, ISBN 0-01 3372-8 1- 1; $65 hc) Artistic, insp iring, in for mati ve, rich prese n rarion-rarely a re these words associated wirh ascholarlyefforr, but in the case ofAmerica and theSeatheyall apply. T his collaborative effort of six of America's leadin g historians is probably rhe most complete work of its kind available today. It explores in seventee n chapters the ce nturi es from Native American habitation and Viking exploration of rh e co untry to today's m aritime enterprises. And it does it in a way that is eminentl y readable an d beautifully presented. Using recognized arr, maps, photographs and drawings to ampli fy its text, rhe book provides new insigh t to a story rhar affects us all. T he narrative, augmented by short essays and period documents, brings li fe to the hum an dimension in our ongoing relationship with th e sea. Logical break points divide this mass ive subject into four parts, and in each, th e writing fl ows with the ease of waves marching into the shore. Explan ati o ns of eve nts bring clarity to many whi ch had heretofo re been vague and fuzzy recollections of high sch oo l hi story courses. T he auth o rs use literary references, poetry and museum-quality paintings to amplify the text and in-depth biographical sketches of both well and lesser known indi viduals who affected the maritime growth of our country. And they didn 't neglect rhe impact and influence of our fres h water heri tage in the process. Commerce, includin g barge traffic, inland shipbuilding and inland waterfront industries, is wel l covered. T he American fascination with the water for recreational pursuits, from yachting to seasi de activities, played a role in the develop ment of our country's maritime heritage and also ge ts its due. The seago ing military naturally played a significant role in th e sto ry, and the Navy
and Coast Gua rd, from the earli est fo rerunners of today's services to rhe modern nuclear submarines of the Navy of th e '90s, are covered most completely. An important aspect of America and the Sea is the chronicling of change brought about by the development of our socieryborh positive and less so-and th e in escapable compar iso ns th at point up the argument that maybe there rea lly were so me "goo d old days." But there were m any of th em w hi ch weren't. T his is not just a "hi sto ry book"; it is a treatise on the art, both visual and written , of our m aturation process. It is philosophical and at th e sam e tim e lyrical , co mparing the sea around us to both a moat providing an oftneeded defe nse, and a bridge, open ing our land to rh e Europea n explorers and opening to us the markers of worldwide commerce. Neither dry no r "textbookis h," America and the Sea provides entertainin g and interesting reading nor o nl y for history fanatics, bu r for any who have an intell ectual curiosity about our great co untry and the maritime interests which played , and continue to play, such a large part in our develo pm en r. I have mentio ned seve ral times the art illustratin g this book. With M ys tic Seaport Museum providing the impetus for th e creation of the work, it stands to reaso n that many of the pieces come from the Mystic co llection and the Blunt-White Library th ere. Also represented are the South Street Seaport Museum, Peabody Essex Museum, rhe Maryland Historical Society, the New-York Histo rical Society, the Sr. Louis Art Museum, the San Francisco Maritime Na tio nal Historical Park and others. T he reproductions of brush and phorographic art are excellent, and the capti o ns often co ntain the story of the subj ect matter. The bona fides of the authors are impeccable; most are oft-p ublished, and all are current fac ul ty members of the Frank C. Munson Institute of American Maritim e Studi es at Mystic Seaport, which provides
SEA HISTORY 86, AUTUMN 1998